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How to Automatically Set a SharePoint Contact Based on a Choice Field

Rana Garcia Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to automatically assign a contact group to a SharePoint list item based on a selected choice value (e.g., Facility).

How to Automatically Set a SharePoint Contact Based on a Choice Field

Product: SharePoint, Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating or modifying a SharePoint list item where a specific facility or category is selected, which should dictate the assigned contact person or group.
Observed behavior: SharePoint does not natively allow Person or Group columns to be used directly as lookup columns, requiring an automated workflow to bridge the gap.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Member permissions for both the source and target SharePoint lists, as well as an active Microsoft Power Automate license to create and test flows.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate to Link the Choice Field to a Contact

Since SharePoint does not support using Person or Group columns directly as lookup columns, you can create a Power Automate flow to dynamically match the choice field and update the contact.

This workaround involves maintaining a secondary 'Contacts' list that maps your choice values (e.g., Facility names) to their respective Person or Group. A flow will trigger upon item creation or modification, query the Contacts list for the matching choice, and update your main list accordingly.

Prepare the Contacts List

Navigate to your SharePoint site and ensure your secondary Contacts list includes a column (e.g., 'Facility') that exactly matches the choice values in your main Home list. Add the corresponding users or groups to a Person or Group column in this Contacts list.

Create the Power Automate Flow

Open Power Automate and create an 'Automated cloud flow'. Select the SharePoint trigger 'When an item is created or modified' and connect it to your main Home list.

Retrieve Matching Contacts

Add a new step and choose the SharePoint 'Get items' action. Point it to your secondary Contacts list. In the advanced options, use an OData Filter Query to match the columns, such as 'Facility eq [Facility Value from Trigger]'.

Update the Main List Item

Add a SharePoint 'Update item' action pointing back to your main Home list. Use the ID from the trigger step. For the 'Notify' (Person or Group) column, populate it with the Claims or Email dynamic content retrieved from the 'Get items' step. Save and test the flow.

Use Power Automate to Link the Choice Field to a Contact

Filter Query Tip: Make sure to enclose the dynamic content in single quotes within your OData filter query (e.g., Facility eq 'DynamicContent') if it contains string values.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a Person or Group column directly as a lookup column in SharePoint?

No, SharePoint does not natively support using Person or Group columns as lookup columns. You must use a workaround, such as maintaining a separate mapping list and utilizing Power Automate to sync the values.

Do I need a premium Power Automate license to run this flow?

No, standard SharePoint connectors ('When an item is created or modified', 'Get items', and 'Update item') are included with most basic Microsoft 365 licenses and do not require a premium Power Automate subscription.

Will this Power Automate flow update existing list items?

The flow will only trigger for existing items if they are modified (assuming you use the 'When an item is created or modified' trigger). To update all historical items at once, you would need to create a temporary manual or scheduled flow.

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